As I'm writing this, the smells of a very large stockpot of homemade turkey wild rice soup are wafting in from the kitchen. I'm afraid there isn't a recipe to share here, though, as I cook soup in the tradition of my mom and my grandmother before her: use what you have in the kitchen and throw in a cup of this and a pinch of that and simmer until done. If you're new to soup making or aren't comfortable with my slapdash methods, I think you'll find one or more of the recipes below tempting to your taste buds.

Sort and rinse the beans. Combine the beans with enough water to cover generously in a bowl. Let stand for 8 to 10 hours. Drain and rinse. Combine the beans, broth, garlic and 1 of the onions in a stockpot and mix well. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat. Simmer for 3 hours or until the beans are tender, stirring occasionally and adding additional broth if needed for the desired consistency. Sauté the remaining onion in the oil in a skillet until tender. Stir in the green chiles, cumin, oregano and cayenne pepper. Add the onion mixture to the bean mixture and mix well. Stir in the chicken and simmer for 1 hour longer, stirring occasionally. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with the cheese. Serves 8 to 10. Note: Substitute canned beans for the dried beans and reduce the cooking time to 45 to 60 minutes. Tip: To take away the "tin can" taste from canned green chiles, rinse them and dry sauté in a nonstick skillet for a few minutes before adding to the dish.

Minestrone

2 T. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 c. chopped onions

1 c. chopped celery

2 cans (6 oz. each) tomato paste

1 (10-oz.) can beef stock

2 qts. water

1 c. chopped cabbage

1 (10-oz.) pkg. frozen peas and carrots

1/2 t. dried rosemary

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. ground black pepper

1 (16-oz.) can kidney beans, undrained

1 c. small elbow macaroni

Grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the oil in a large soup pot and sauté the garlic, onions and celery for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, stock, water, cabbage, peas and carrots, rosemary, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add the kidney beans and macaroni and cook for 15 minutes more. Top each bowl with the Parmesan cheese just before serving. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Coat a 3-qt. pot with cooking spray and add the ground beef or turkey. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring to crumble, until the meat is no longer pink. Drain off and discard any fat. Add the onions, cover and cook for several minutes, or until the onions are tender. Add the remaining ingredients, except for beans, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the beans and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve hot, topping each serving with some cheese and scallions or onions if desired. Note: For a milder taste, substitute salsa for the chiles.